Toda Lab Project Soka University Faculty of Engineering
Topics
Roughly speaking, our research topics can be divided into following categories:
I. Aquatic Ecosystems
This laboratory has been conducting research on the coastal ecosystem at Sagami Bay, central Japan, the coral ecosystem in Malaysia, and the production ecology of Euphausia superba. Lower trophic organisms such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, and bacteria support the aquatic ecosystems with the intricate interdependent mechanisms. In particular, we are conducting research with a focus on the lower trophic communities and the marine environment surrounding them.
A) On-site research on Coastal Ecosystem at the Sagami Bay, Kanagawa
- Mid-to-long-term observation of marine environment and biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton
- Research on the mechanism of mass generation of harmful algae(-2009)
- Evaluation of bio-scientific characters of Dissolved Organic Carbon and its role (-2010)
- Influence of typhoon on coastal ecosystem
- Influence of pressure on Physioecology of zooplankton
- The study of copepod nauplius, a baby copepod
- Study on the microbial communities in the sea surface microlayer (SML)
B) Coral Reef Ecosystem
- Temporal variation of zooplankton community’s standing stock, composition and production
- Diel variation of zooplankton community(-2012)
- Trophic structure of zooplankton community using stable isotopic analyses
- Biological role of coral mucus
- Community structure of coral reefs around Malay Peninsula
- Restoration of coral reefs (-2007)
- Seasonal variability in ultraviolet radiation penetration and bio-optical factors in tropical coral-reef waters
C) The Production Ecology of Euphausia superba
- Research on the artificial rearing of E. superba: the relationship among its food, growth rate and molting frequency
- Research on Production Ecology and pressure: the influence of pressure on embryo development and behaviors of E. superba
- Influence of parasitic organisms on the E. superba community in the Antarctic Ocean
II. Environmental Technology
We are examining how to utilize microbes and phytoplankton for decomposition of human-caused organic substances, such as filthy water and raw garbage discharged from urban environments. We also investigate how to efficiently extract energy from organic substances by using methane fermentation. These studies are relevant to the research on biomass energy, which is expected to be utilized in a recycle-oriented society.
A) Methane fermentation
- Digestion on food waste by circulating sludge
- Promotion of efficient methane fermentation process using algal biomass(-2013)
- Development of raw-garbage disposal process using the Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) method (-2013)
- Study on leachate at the Benowo landfill in Surabaya city, Indonesia(-2013)
- Evaluation of environmental impacts of an organic waste treatment through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)(-2013)
B) Advanced use of microalgae
- Study on the wastewater treatment using algal-bacterial consortia
- Mass cultivation of microalgae for production of valuable products (-2013)